Treatment Comparison

Thanks to its millimetre accuracy, proton therapy pinpoints the tumour carrying more radiation directly to the cancer cells. This significantly reduces the levels of radiation received by the surrounding tissue, preventing side effects and aiding recovery so that the patient can return to normal as quickly as possible.

Prostate cancer is highly specific, and a range of treatment options exist for this form of cancer. Due to this, it is possible to compare and contrast the various treatment options available, in a detailed way, which can be seen below. If you would like to see comparisons for other diagnosis, please go to Treatment Comparisons for Various Diagnoses

Side Effects Comparison At A Glance

Impotence

Infertility

Urinary Incontinence

Bowel Problems

Proton Therapy

Very Low

Very Low

Very Low

Low

Hormone Treatment

High

High

None

None

Radical Prostatectomy

High

High

High

Low

Radiotherapy

Medium

Medium

Low

Medium

Brachytherapy

Medium

Low

Low

Medium

Side Effects Comparison In Detail

Treatment

Side Effects

Proton Therapy

The majority of Proton Therapy patients experience no side effects. However although rare, some people do get minor side-effects, dependent on the site that's being treated.

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For brain tumours the temporary side-effects could occasionally be:

Headaches

Tiredness

The most common short-term side-effects for prostate cancer might be:

Burning pain when urinating

Need to urinate more often than usual

Weaker urine stream

For head and neck cancers, temporary side effects could be:

Very mild skin reddening that does not inconvenience the patient in any way

Sore throat

Difficulty swallowing

Throat irritations

Dry mouth

Temporary skin reaction

Surgery

Surgical risks- with any surgery there can be complications during and after the operation, including wound infections
• Bleeding during and after the operation
• Heart attack
• Reaction to anesthesia
• Infection at the incision site
• Risk of urinary incontinence (being unable to control urine)
• Impotence (being unable to have erections)
• Lymphedema
• Inguinal hernia: A prostatectomy increases a man’s chances of developing an inguinal (groin) hernia in the future.
• Injury to surrounding tissues (i.e. rectum, bladder, and ureters)

Radiation can irritate the large intestine and rectum and cause a condition called radiation proctitis. This can lead to diarrhoea, blood in the stool and rectal leakage.

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Bladder problems: Radiation can irritate the bladder and lead to a condition called radiation cystitis. Patients might need to urinate more often, have a burning sensation while you urinate, and find blood in their urine

Urinary incontinence: Inability to control urine or have leakage or dribbling

Tiredness: There is a low risk that 3D-CRT can cause fatigue that may not go away until a few months after treatment stops.

Erectile dysfunction: a percentage of men may experience erectile dysfunction, however the rate of erectile dysfunction reported in the literature varies significantly

Conventional radiotherapy:
Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy
(IMRT)

Bowel Problems: it can irritate the large intestine and rectum and cause a condition called radiation proctitis. This can lead to:
• Diarrhoea
• Blood in the stool
• Other symptoms are the same as Conventional Radiotherapy 3D-CRT as seen above, but more mild.

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Bladder problems: Radiation can irritate the bladder and lead to a condition called radiation cystitis. Patients might need to urinate more often, have a burning sensation while you urinate, and find blood in their urine

Urinary incontinence: Inability to control urine or have leakage or dribbling

Tiredness: There is a low risk that IMRT can cause fatigue that may not go away until a few months after treatment stops.

Erectile dysfunction: a percentage of men may experience erectile dysfunction, however the rate of erectile dysfunction reported in the literature varies significantly

Conventional radiotherapy:
Cyberknife

Erectile dysfunction

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Urinary retention

Sudden Urge to urinate

Urinary incontinence

Increased frequency to urinate

Risk of urethral stricture

Blood in stool

Injury to rectal or bladder wall / nearby tissue

Brachytherapy

The procedure itself can cause side-effects such as:
• Soreness and bruising between the legs where the needles or thin tubes went through the perineum (area between the anus and the scrotum)

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15% of men require a catheter for up to a month post-treatment

Blood in the urine and semen

Difficulty or discomfort passing urine

Rare bowel movements

Proctitis

Erectile dysfunction

Urinary Problems and incontinence

Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy can cause a loss of sensation if nerves are affected in the treated area, as well as pain

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Bruising

Constipation

Blood in urine

Impotence (in 50% of cases)

Urinary incontinence (18% of cases)

Urethra blockage and problems passing urine. May require an operation known as transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) to help improve this.

About Proton Therapy

Proton Therapy is a well established form of treatment that has been available to people in the United States and around Europe for several years.
Proton Therapy cannot treat every type of cancer, but for those patients who have had proton therapy treatment it has made a significant difference to increasing their quality of life.

Proton Therapy UK

Proton Therapy UK is the official UK division of the Proton Therapy Center in Prague. Our division assists patients from start to finish, allowing them to contact us in case of emergency 24 hours per day, with a Czech phone we provide them with. We can also help organise flights, accommodation and any activities patients would like to participate in during their stay in Prague.

Proton Therapy Center

The Proton Therapy Center in Prague offers advanced technology solutions in the fight against many different types of cancer with a consequent reduction in potential side effects, with Pencil Beam technology and its high levels of accuracy being at the forefront of the treatment options available there.